A/N: Here we are, my loves! Chapter 10! Still Emma-centric though we do get appearances by some less than welcome faces. I hope you all enjoy my writing of Dark Swan.
Trigger warning: There is a brief mention of sexual assault towards the end of the chapter and an implication of domestic abuse.
Emma paced the floors of her home, all 2,076 feet of them from top to bottom. She had been pacing a lot recently, though she mainly attributed this to her lack of need to sleep and the limited time she was able to leave the building. The blonde paused as she circled back to her original thought. Home. Was that what she would consider this place? There were no photographs of her life in StoryBrooke. It was sparsely, though tastefully, furnished. There were never dishes in the sink as she tended to wash and reuse the same dish and cup seeing as she was the only who was ever present during mealtimes.
She combed slender fingers through her hair, noting that there was a fresh cropping of blonde hair at the base of her skull, the texture silkier and more curly than that of her milky tresses. She made note to let Regina know should she see the woman later in her day.
The former sheriff had been thinking about many topics as of late: her role in Henry's stories, her parentage, her life before Henry…..before Regina.
The thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door, much too powerful to be her son's. She frowned and schooled her features into one of disdain as she strode towards the front door, the feigned disapproval morphing into the genuine artifact upon finding the pirate on her doorstep.
"Hook." The name was said blandly, as if it left a foul taste in her mouth and she tilted her head at him lightly. "Why are you here? I don't recall inviting you…..ever."
As per usual, the one handed man seemed oblivious to the obvious implication that he should leave, instead opting to move into the blonde's personal space and wrap his arms around her. She felt her body stiffen at the contact, so different from that of her son or even the Mayor. She disentangled herself and stepped back pointedly, putting space between them and resting her hand on the door in preparation.
"Is there something I can help you with, Captain?" her eyes tracked his movements as he grinned lazily at her and stepped forward.
"Captain? You're starting to sound like Regina." The way the man said the Queen's name had Emma baring her teeth unconsciously, an act that, once again, went unnoticed. He grinned at her further "Aren't you going to let me in, love? I've been looking for you. This is the first time I've seen you since you did…..that."
Green eyes peered back at him and the blonde had the disturbing thought of how easy it might be to snap his neck. She gave a little shake of her head to force the thought away before stepping to block the doorway.
"I hadn't intended on it. I don't have time for….whatever this is." This time the pirate seemed to catch onto the distaste with which the words were spoken. As if he were the problem, the intruder. His smile dropped and his brows furrowed angrily.
"Why the hell not? I've been spending weeks looking for you, fighting for you! They let Regina, of all people, take your dagger! I would think you would want to rectify that!" He waved his hand furiously, his rings glinting in the light and Emma startled for a moment, pushing back the memory for the time being.
"I am well aware of who possesses my dagger, pirate. I intentionally left it in the Queen's hands because she is the only one of you I trust not to misuse it. She is the only one who will not be tempted by it." Her eyes flicked over him, the look of disgust open and apparent now. "The only one who wouldn't think to try and cage me, control me, like the rest of you. You and my…..perfect parents." She stepped into his personal space, causing the man to stumble back in surprise at the power radiating off of the once good natured woman. She raised her hand to silence him when he opened his mouth to protest, a smile curling on her lips as he grasped at his throat, his voice rendered useless.
"I quite like you this way. Obedient, for once. Do you think me a fool? That I don't know exactly what you've been doing the last 6 weeks? Hm?"She ran a nail down the side of his face slowly before grabbing him by the throat and pulling him so he was millimeters from her face, his eyes bulging in fear and surprise, looking very much like he may soil himself at any moment. Oh, Emma hoped so. "You think I haven't watched you sucking down cheap rum at the Rabbit Hole? That I haven't seen you propositioning any unfortunate woman who happens to be just drunk enough? Yes, a lot of help you've been to me." She spat at him, nails biting into the flesh of his cheeks.
"At one time, I probably would have smiled and felt obligated to let you in. Make you a drink, a sandwich. Pretend that I was the least bit flattered when your one good hand would wander." She cocked her head at him as he gaped at her like a fish, opening and closing his mouth. "At one time." She repeated softly, pushing him away from her and watching him land in a sprawling heap at the bottom of her porch steps. She waved her hand over her shoulder as she retreated into the house, locking the door behind her.
Once the Dark One was alone she rolled her head towards her staircase, a brow raising at the figure perched there. "I've really grown tired of you. I told you, I don't kill people, Rumple." She said the name as though to mock the man, more precisely the illusion of a man. He had become a considerable annoyance since her change.
"Oh yes, yes, dearie. So you say. Always so noble, for now." His eyes crinkled and he leered at her, a set of grotesque, rotting teeth on display reminding the blonde how thankful she was to have grown up in a world with dental care. "Now, are you certain you don't want to just…" He gave a flourish of his hands "pop in and pick up the dagger. It's quite easy pickings right now."
"Regina can handle it. I told Hook, I trust her. If anyone can break this curse, it's the one who enacted yours." She raised a hand to rub her temple for a moment, muttering "She has to…."
She shook her head slightly and turned her back on the apparition, making her way into the living room. Emma lowered herself onto a lounger near the window, peering out at the street beyond. "I have to believe that. I have to believe she can save me."
"Always the hopeful one. So, so hopeful." The imp chimed from his place perched on her table "What makes you think the Evil Queen will help you? You really think she can hold onto that dagger for much longer before she starts giving into her darkness again?" He cackles wickedly and claps his hands at the thought. "Oh, how delicious! An Evil Queen and a Dark Savior, what a twist!"
Emma waved her hand in annoyance, temporarily banishing the voice from her mind. Part of her knew he was correct; there was always the chance that the darkness would prove to be too much for Regina, but she had to have hope. If only for this one point in her life, she had to have hope that someone would come for her, would save her.
A dark inkling crept to the front of her mind, whispering vicious things to her, things she had tried not to think about.
'Save you? She's the one who damned you!'
'She's the reason. She's the reason.'
'You had no family because of her!'
'She stole your life…..she stole everything from you.'
'Beaten. Abused. Raped. Forgotten. Neglected. Abandoned.'
'All her fault. Her fault!'
Emma gritted her teeth as she listened to the voices, the taunting and goading of who was to blame for the way her life turned out. Who was to blame? She shook her head, letting out a growl of frustration.
Who was to blame? Regina? Snow and Charming? Rumple?
The question rolled around in her head as she played the scenarios over and over. The reasons she had been given as to why things had happened, why she had been sent away. The blonde's agitation and frustration at the current circumstances got the best of her for a moment, just a moment. She slammed her fists down against the window sill, the sound of glass shattering throughout the neighborhood reaching her ears.
She rolled her shoulders slowly, composing herself before she rose from the couch with the grace of a panther, waving her hand to repair the damage before disappearing in a cloud of grayish smoke.
She had someone she needed to pay a visit to.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this latest installment! Our ladies will be reunited again very soon. Please, as always, leave me reviews and lots of love!